Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Indonesian Guitar Music On Folkways Records

When one thinks of Indonesia, guitar playing is not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind. Yet the country has its rock bands, pop groups and some good jazz guitarists, some of which we have and will be covering on these pages in the future.

Today, though, a fascinating volume in the Folkways Music of Indonesia Series. Volume 20: Indonesian Guitars gives you seventy-odd minutes of what is on the local, folk music level, as opposed to more nationally distributed styles.

The form taken is about half the time a solo acoustic guitar/singer in a style that is an equivalent to some of the traditional country blues music of 20th Century US. But no, of course it sounds Indonesian. There is clearly a relationship of some of this music to the traditional lute playing of earlier times, and the melodic modes certainly have deep roots in traditional musics of local Indonesia.

There are surprises, like Band Teleu Nekaf, who use flute, acoustic guitar and slide electric guitar to create what sounds like a hybrid of Sundanese and Hawaiian music. All of it is quite interesting. Some of it is not like anything I have ever heard before. I must say this one is heartily recommended if you are up for a musical adventure.

The album is available as CD or download from Smithsonian Folkways and includes the usual meticulous notes for which Folkways is known. Google them to find out more.

Grego's First Blog: 1,001 Knights, Reviews of Music CDs for Guitar, Bass and Otherwise

About This Blog

Grego Applegate Edwards writes this column.

The Gapplegate Guitar and Bass Blog has grown over several years to contain more than 1,000 reviews of CDs by guitarists, bassists, vocalists and otherwise. Each musician is a hero in my mind, a Knight in Shining Armor, devoting a lifetime to music that you can enjoy and treasure. Here are my 1,000 knights, and my many 1,000 nights spent listening so I could review this music for you. If you care about what you hear and want to know more about what is out there, you are the person I have in mind as I write these postings. If music isn't an important part of your life this blog is probably not for you.

Various musical genres get attention on these pages: jazz and rock with guitarists and/or bassists playing a prominent role, classical music for the guitar, world music, blues, roots, electric music, vocalists.

I cover other jazz and improvisation on the Gapplegate Music Review blog (see link on this page) and modern classical and avant garde concert music on the new blogsite Classical-Modern Music Review (see link).

About Me

I am a life-long writer, musician, composer and editor. I wrote for Cadence for many years, a periodical covering jazz and improv music. My combined Blogspot blogs (as listed in the links) now cover well over 3,000 recordings in review. It's been a labor of love. The music is chosen because I like it, for the most part, so you won't find a great deal of nastiness here. I have no affiliations and gain nothing from liking what I do, so that makes me somewhat impartial. I do happen to like a set of certain musics done well, so it's not everything released that gets coverage on these blogs. I have thirteen volumes of compositions available on amazon.com. Just type in "Grego Applegate Edwards" to find them. (But one is under "Gregory Applegate Edwards.") I went to music and higher education schools and got degrees. It changed my life and gave me the ability to think and write better. I've studied with master musicians, too. The benefits I gained from them are invaluable. I appreciate my readers. You are why I write these reviews. I hope the joy of music enriches your life like it does mine. Thank you. And thank you to all the artists that make it possible.